KHDA School Inspection Results and Ratings. 2019-20. The Complete Official List.

Background: KHDA School Inspection Results and Ratings. 2019-20. The Complete Official List.

Parents have asked us for a super simple list of this year’s ratings by the Dubai Government’s Inspectorate of Schools (KHDA). You will find it published below.

This is the official list provided directly to us by the KHDA.

We could not, however, in good conscience, provide the list without some explanation and context. It is absolutely not a matter of simply choosing one of the KHDA Outstanding schools and “job done.” The KHDA celebrates one or more achievements of every school in Dubai with few exceptions (see KHDA Weak schools below). The KHDA’s role is to support parents, schools and children. It does not publish its reports to hurt schools or teachers or denigrate the schools that many thousands of children attend. Quite the opposite. It sees its role as one of supporting schools to be the best in the world for parents and children – and does so powerfully. Dubai has many genuinely world class schools. Not all schools have always been outstanding. They grow to become outstanding in partnership with the KHDA, parents and students. Also worth noting in a point we make again below, the benchmark for achieving a KHDA Good School rating is set very high. Most will have one or more Very Good and Outstanding features.

Just a couple of points, first, to give the list some context.

First, not all schools were inspected this year because, at the time their inspections were due, they were unavoidably closed because of Covid 19. Any one of these schools could be a Good, Very Good or Outstanding school. Not inspected does not mean a poor school.

Second, just because a school is graded Outstanding, does not mean that it will be necessarily a better school than one graded a Good school or graded a Very Good school for your child. It is hard for a school to achieve a KHDA Good School rating. KHDA Inspections are rigorous. Expectations are very high. Inspections are meaningful. Grades are not handed out like toffees.

As a general rule, however, Outstanding schools will offer an outstanding education for the broadest range of children. This is not always the case – some KHDA Outstanding schools target, for example, only the most academic children or first language French speaking children. But, as a general rule, as you work up the gradings, you can expect to see any number of increasingly stand-out features at these schools, many of which define these schools as competitive with the best schools you will find operating anywhere in the world.

It is worth noting that many schools which may well be outstanding in almost every other way, do not reach the grade because of their performance in Arabic subjects. The American School of Dubai is a good example of this. Many schools struggle badly in this area. More on why here (of the many articles we have published on the site, this is one we feel most proud of and hope it will help many families understand the complexity of the Arabic language issue in our schools).

Acceptable schools are those which do not meet the standards expected by the KHDA for a school operating in Dubai in one, or more, ways. They will all have, in important respects, failings that the KHDA identify will hold some children back. We know, however, that some schools on this list do provide a very good or outstanding education for many children. Some schools on this list fall short of KHDA Good school status by a whisker. The KHDA is tough in its gradings because it wants to ensure that the education children receive here is the best and happiest available anywhere in the world. Full stop. In some ways, school gradings by the KHDA are more directed towards schools themselves to help them improve rather than being something intended to steer parents away from them. Behind the scenes, KHDA Inspectors and schools work very closely together in relationships built on mutual respect, care and kindness. After all, the KHDA and schools share the same ambition – to deliver an outstanding happy education for every child.

KHDA Weak schools are a different story. They present significant risks and we would avoid them. These schools may be at risk of closure if they do not improve very swiftly. The KHDA is deeply committed to ensuring a world class education for every child and these schools fall a long way short of the mark.

Bottom line? Read through our review for schools you are interested in. We provide a search box at the top of our site. Many “Good Schools” are outstanding for the right children. A KHDA rated Good School, many of which have Very Good and Outstanding features, do, every day of the week, provide an outstanding education for many, many children. 

As with all tables, the devil is in the detail.

In our reviews you will find the detailed knowledge we have built up over many years of knowing these schools and watching them develop on their journeys. You will also find our views and recommendations reflected in our Top School Awards which explore those schools that are stand-out in different areas of what they do for children.

It is also worth reading the reviews of different experts on our sister site WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. We have different perspectives and ways of evaluating schools. Whilst for the most part we share our views of schools, we do not always.

As with all reviews, or grading, these are only tools to help you. They are not the last word in the right school for your child. There is nothing that can replace a visit to those schools on your shortlist. Always speak with the School Principal and Subject Teachers. You need to absolutely trust that (1) they will care for your child, (2) that the school can deliver what your child needs and (3) the school is resourced properly. At some point you will know if a school is right. Trust your instincts. If you see abandoned children crying alone in a corner (and yes, we have seen this on our visits to schools) you will have a pretty good idea that you need to run a mile.

The real authority on whether a school is outstanding, or not, is not SchoolsCompared, the KHDA or schools themselves. It is, in every case, you and your child. In every review we write, we always consider the independent evidence and feedback we receive from parents. But parents differ in their views too because children differ.

We think that, after a visit to a school, you should ask yourself the question whether you wish, with pretty much every part of your being, that you had been to the school for your education. You should feel excitement. Hope. Magic. There are schools on this list that we really do feel that about …. You should also expect to see your child’s face absolutely light up at at least one point in the visit.

We have also run a whole series of interviews with Heads and School Leaders putting them on the spot by asking what they think parents should look for in an outstanding school. They are worth watching. One example can be found here.

For further information on Indian curriculum schools specifically, please see here.

KHDA Inspection Reports in English can be found here.

KHDA Inspection Reports in Arabic can be found here.

Outstanding Schools

For further information on these schools please read our reviews.

All of these schools have a predominance of KHDA Outstanding features . The majority of schools here can be relied on to provide an outstanding education for every child. A minority of schools listed here will provide an outstanding education for particular types of children, for example, those who are the most academically gifted or native French language speakers. Many of these schools compete on the world stage for the exceptional quality of education they provide for children.

Very Good Schools

For further information on these schools please read our reviews.

Some of the following schools have Very Good and/or Outstanding features and do currently provide an outstanding education for many children.

Good Schools

For further information on these schools please read our reviews.

Some of the following schools have Very Good and/or Outstanding features and do currently provide a very good or outstanding education for many children.

Acceptable Schools

These schools, for the KHDA, do not meet their minimum expected standards for a school to operate in the UAE. The KHDA, rightfully in our view, sets a very high benchmark. The KHDA evaluates schools on the basis to which they meet the needs of every child at the school. We know, however, that many of the schools here do provide a Very Good or Outstanding education for many children. There will be, however, some core weakness or weaknesses that school will be working on and addressing. It is very simple to find out what these are by reading the KHDA reports, reading our reviews and asking the schools themselves. A good example is the Choueifat schools. They work on a model that is very successful for some children. That model, however, simply does not sit at all comfortably in the framework through which the KHDA judges schools. The Choueifat schools, tellingly, starkly divide the views of parents too – a little bit like Marmite.

Weak Schools

These schools do not meet the minimum expected standards for a school to operate in the UAE or effectively teach children. These schools have very serious deficiencies in one or more respects and are not recommended.

Not Inspected

For further information on these schools please read our reviews.

The following schools were not inspected as, through no fault of their own, they were required to close during the Covid 19 pandemic to protect their children and families on the dates their inspections were due to be completed.

Many of the following schools have Very Good and/or Outstanding features and many do currently provide a Good, Very Good or Outstanding education for the right child.

©SchoolsCompared.com. All rights reserved. 2020.

Notes:

(1) All rights of the KHDA are recognised in this article. Our gratitude to the KHDA for the final approved list of 2020 school inspection results.

(2) All advice, opinions, errors. omissions and perspectives in this article are expressly those of SchoolsCompared.com.